England 2021/22

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Ewels announced as captain

Go **** yourself.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Keen to hear your thoughts on prospects?

As an Aussie I'd be happy with snapping the losing streak and going 1 from 3. Wouldn't be that shocked by a white wash though.

I think Australia will win the series, and I wouldn't be surprised at 3-0

I don't think that's being too doom and gloom just a realistic assessment of where the two sides are atm - Australia had a crap November tour but their performances at home are way way better than anything England has produced in a while

Our attack is genuinely embarrassing - beyond embarrassing, it's straight up depressing, and I'm not sure our forwards play (which, while not vintage atm, is OK) will be enough to make up for that deficit, especially on the harder surfaces of Aus

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

It kind of summed it up for me that the squad is flying down under on 4 separate flights.

 

[Scotty]

Ewels announced as captain

Like Faz he fits the criteria, out of Form, guarenteed to start, despite out of form and does some brain dead stuff....he fits

Just FYI i looked it up to make sure your joking

Personally id go Genge and Curry VC, both will be arpund for a while.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Like Faz he fits the criteria, out of Form, guarenteed to start, despite out of form and does some brain dead stuff....he fits

Just FYI i looked it up to make sure your joking

Personally id go Genge and Curry VC, both will be arpund for a while.

Ewels isn't out of form, this is his form.

 

[Geordie]

Genge would be a good call if he continues his form and progress from potential to real deal international prop. He's relished it for Tigers.

My concern is that he's going to Bristol thats pretty much destroyed Sinkler as a quality Tight head.

 

[BPM]

Like Faz he fits the criteria, out of Form, guarenteed to start, despite out of form and does some brain dead stuff....he fits

Just FYI i looked it up to make sure your joking

Personally id go Genge and Curry VC, both will be arpund for a while.

Farrell isn't out of form though? I'd go so far as saying he's in the best form he's been in for a good while.

 

[Scotty]

Farrell isn't out of form though? I'd go so far as saying he's in the best form he's been in for a good while.

No i agree he isnt now but when he had the captaincy previously he was, that was what i was saying, now he's not and i want him as a leader in the team and not the captain.

I want Ewels as an overqualified waterboy at best.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Ewels isn't out of form, this is his form.

Facetiously or otherwise that totally nails the point….so I aim 95% more flak at the selectors when there have been better / higher potential options available than the player, obvious screw ups like the Ire red card excepted.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If that's Farrell in form then we are all screwed. Really confused with what he really offers at 12 (albeit we don't really have many other options).

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Facetiously or otherwise that totally nails the point….so I aim 95% more flak at the selectors when there have been better / higher potential options available than the player, obvious screw ups like the Ire red card excepted.

I can say with certainty that Ewels is the player with which there appears to be the greatest discrepancy between how the coaches view him (England and Bath) and literally everyone else. I've never known any other player to have such a gulf in opinion. Some are poor but had good moments, work well for club or not country or any number of potential reasons to justify their position but Ewels seems to have none. He isn't even just painfully mediocre, he's mediocre and a penalty magnet, often with cards attached. Yet at Bath and England he is a regular starter and even captain material!? I cannot for the life of me fathom it. Other pet gripes like Youngs etc have at least shown flashes of brilliance from time to time, Ewels just never has. It's not even likes the mid 2000's where we were a mess post WC with a particularly poor pool of players, we have so many options that we don't even need to stick with Ewels.

His supposed "strengths" are solid set piece and defence. Neither is true, our set piece has often malfunctioned with him on the field and he is consistently unable to make tackles or gets carded making them. His cards/penalties per completed tackles must be some of the worst in the world. He offers no leadership whatsoever at Bath as captain, as shown by our frequent implosions in the odd time we are ahead.

 

[Scotty]

If that's Farrell in form then we are all screwed. Really confused with what he really offers at 12 (albeit we don't really have many other options).

Im not his biggest fan, though i see more what he offers with smith at 10 as they essentially attack with Smith at 12, or smith looping round, having a player like faz who simple trucks it up, or takes to the line and passes to a real playmaker like smith makes sense, and he is a physical presence in defence. I actually do thick it could work. 'Could' being the word.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Farrell is playing well but his kicking is looking worse than ever - we all liked to meme about "ice man" Farrell but he was genuinely one of the best kickers around, certainly in/for England, but the last few games it's been pretty poor

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I wish the papers wouldn't publish pics of players in the sea. The Times today has one with Ewels front and centre in his England Rugby issue budgie smugglers. Not really what I wanted to see before breakfast. Out of consideration and respect for fellow posters I have chosen not to reproduce here although I may PM @Reiser99.

There's also a very good article about the 2016 tour if you can get behind the paywall.

 

[Reiser99]

I wish the papers wouldn't publish pics of players in the sea. The Times today has one with Ewels front and centre in his England Rugby issue budgie smugglers. Not really what I wanted to see before breakfast. Out of consideration and respect for fellow posters I have chosen not to reproduce here although I may PM @Reiser99.

There's also a very good article about the 2016 tour if you can get behind the paywall.

 

[Reiser99]

I'll add this

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Luther Burrell: Former England centre says racism is 'rife' in rugby union

Former England centre Luther Burrell says he wants to "empower younger generations" after detailing his experiences of racism in rugby union

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Luther Burrell: Former England centre says racism is 'rife' in rugby union

Former England centre Luther Burrell says he wants to "empower younger generations" after detailing his experiences of racism in rugby union

www.bbc.co.uk

Doesn't surprise me. Rugby and to a lesser degree cricket come from a different strata of society for the most part. It's likely less malicious and brazen than the racism you get in football but that also makes it easier for people to deny it exists. Fundamentally rugby should be looking to expand away from the private schools and become more mainstream, but it feels it isn't properly adopting the culture to do so.

 

[Seven]

If that's Farrell in form then we are all screwed. Really confused with what he really offers at 12 (albeit we don't really have many other options).

Yes indeed. I think everyone was hoping that another dynamic option at 12 would be uncovered while he and Manu were out injured. Sadly that hasn't happened so we have the choice of another smallish centre or a smallish centre with a load of caps. Lack of alternatives has worked in Faz's favour. Plus EJ seems to love him.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Luther Burrell: Former England centre says racism is 'rife' in rugby union

Former England centre Luther Burrell says he wants to "empower younger generations" after detailing his experiences of racism in rugby union

www.bbc.co.uk

I'm always saddened to read stuff like this. I am sure that that's what he's experienced, but I've also always thought that the best way to deal with it is for young players to see that there is a pathway for them to get to the top.

From the current squad:

1. Genge, Mako, Rodd
2. George, Cowan-Dickie, Walker
3. Stuart, Heyes, Schickerling
4. Itoje, Chessum
5. Hill, Ewels,
6. Lawes, Isiekwe, Willis
7. Curry, Underhill, Ludlam
8. Billy
9: Randall, Care, JVP
10. Smith, Furbank
11. May
12. Farrell, Porter
13. Marchant, Dingwall, Joseph
14. Cokanasiga, Nowell
15. Steward, Freeman, Arundell

I reckon that 11 of the 36 are non-white players. This sort of 'quiet inclusion' and selection of the best (coach's whims excepted...) players to represent the nation is likely to be far more effective in the long term than 'initiatives'.